3D PRINTING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
new design ideas and solutions as part of their goal to cut energy consumption in this sector . A recent report by the DOE found that the service demands of buildings around lighting , warmth , cooling , water heating , electronic entertainment , computing , refrigeration and cooking uses around 40 quadrillion Btu a year . The University is hoping that a 10kW unit , along with the 1kW unit , will play a part in helping to reduce this figure to one which is slightly more palatable .
“ The 1kW device has a 20 percent increase in heat exchanger efficiency , is reduced in weight and size . This effectiveness leads to lower overall temperature differences , which then results in lower compression ratios and lower compressor power ,” explains Bouza . “ The benefits include reduced parasitic energy consumption , the ability to use low-gwp refrigerants and less refrigerant usage in a system overall . The impact of this compact heat exchanger is remarkable and the device can be used anywhere in HVAC , water heating and appliance applications .”
It is hoped that the 3D printed heat exchanger will be commercially
“ The impact of this compact heat exchanger is remarkable and the device can be used anywhere in HVAC , water heating and appliance applications ”
available and ready for application within both residential and commercial heat pumps and air conditioners by 2021 . There remains some work to be done on the final product with testing around noise , production and application underway at the moment . It is an impressive achievement by both university and government department , and a clever blend of 3D printing technology and human ingenuity , using materials and solutions already in existence to overcome legacy challenges in design and cost to create something of inordinate value to the environment .
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